Celtic Sacrifice

Author: Sheryl Brennan
Publisher: Underdog Press
Genre: Historical Romance
ISBN: 978-0-615-25561-3
Pages: 264
Price: $15.99

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Ireland, early 1600’s ~ Ceana knows she comes from a lineage that includes the powerful druid priestess, Una. Prophesy states that Una’s power will return through Ceana, and she is humbled by this duty to her family and clan.

But the goddess speaks in mysterious ways, and Ceana doesn’t know how this prophesy will be fulfilled. Will she marry her clansman Cian, who believes he is the other half of her destiny? Or will the mysterious stranger she meets at the faire play a part? Following the goddess and her duty, Ceana makes the best decisions she can, not knowing what the results of her actions will be.

Ceana is a shining example of one who believes in her higher purpose and is willing to walk by faith alone. Celtic Sacrifice is a magical and beautiful story of a strong woman who is driven by her calling to do what is right, never wavering from that call – even when it requires a sacrifice that goes against her very being.

Book one in a three-book series, Celtic Sacrifice is one of the best novels I’ve read in a long time. I highly recommend this wonderful book, and I look forward to reading the rest of this series.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Lizzie’s Rake

Author: Hazel Statham
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Romance
ISBN: 1-60154-465-0
Pages: 232
Price: $11.99

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When Maxim Beaufort, Earl of St. Ive, finds himself owner of a property in Yorkshire, his first inclination is to dispose of it. But he has no idea that Elizabeth Granger and her younger siblings are still living there and would have no place to go. Although a notorious rake, Maxim also has a heart, and refuses to cast them out.

Maxim doesn’t expect to find himself irresistibly drawn to Lizzie, even to the point of wanting to settle down with her as his wife. But his troubles only begin when he proposes. Lizzie has no reason to trust that he has reformed, and that he would make a suitable husband.

Lizzie is a sensible girl, but she also feels her growing attraction to the Earl. How can she marry him when his reputation follows him everywhere?

Hazel Statham has created a charming story set in England in the early 1800s. In a perfectly proper courtship, Maxim woos Lizzie, trying to convince her of his sincerity. And when London society tries to sway her against him, she must determine who she wants to believe.

Lizzie’s Rake is a delightful read for anyone who enjoys a good romance.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Adios to All the Drama

Author: Diana Rodriguez Wallach
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-0-7582-2557-3
Pages: 336
Price: $9.95

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Mariana’s summer fling, Alex, is staying with her family as he researches colleges in the area. Although she’s missed him, she still has unresolved feelings for her locker buddy, Bobby. But things are weird between them ever since she found out her friend, Emily’s, secret.

Madison is now head over heels for a popular guy named Evan, but Emily’s behavior has Mariana concerned. Is she going for her friend’s guy behind her back? Nothing Emily does makes any sense anymore.

When a ballet performance disaster occurs, Mariana finds out the answers to her friend’s strange actions. And she finally makes the decision that’s been weighing on her own heart at her aunt’s wedding.

I really enjoyed this three book series, but this one was definitely the best, in my opinion. Despite the fact Mariana is not one of the popular girls, she manages to stay true to herself and her own values in this book, not succumbing to any peer pressure to compromise herself.

Mariana shows great self-confidence in making all the right decisions for herself, knowing she needs to live with the consequences. I enjoyed getting to know her, and I’m sorry to see this series end.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

A Country Girl

Author: Jeanne Ainslie
Publisher: Xlibris
Genre: Erotica
ISBN: 978-1-4363-3179-1
Pages: 243
Price: $19.99

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Angela, a country girl, awakens to her blossoming womanhood in her teens, with a boy named William. Although the relationship doesn’t last, she continues to delight in her own body, and those of her partners, with wild abandon.

The sequel to Angela, written in 1975 and selling over 61,000 copies, A Country Girl takes us on an erotic exploration of Angela’s sexuality. Jeanne Ainslie’s evocative use of language creates a beautiful sensory picture. Touch, taste, smell and sight combine for a complete immersion in Angela’s sexual experiences.

Angela doesn’t hold back from anything new, and the bolder and more forbidden it is, the more she enjoys it. If you long to break free of convention, if only vicariously, A Country Girl will take you to places you may have only visited in your imagination. I highly recommend this well-written erotic novel.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

The Wizard’s Daughter

Author: Victoria Graydale
Publisher: Stargazer Press
Genre: Romance
ISBN: 0-9734940-7-7
Pages: 188
Price: $15.00

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A botched kidnapping leaves Adrian Gray with the wrong woman, and a price on his head. He has kidnapped Lady Milburga’s companion, Phaedra, rather than the lady herself. Forced to flee from his dastardly employer, he reluctantly falls in with Phaedra’s plan to bring Milburga to see the wizard – the man Phaedra suspects is her father.

As they spend time together in close quarters, Adrian and Phaedra find themselves attracted to each other. But Adrian has been burned by love before, and won’t let Phaedra have the opportunity to inflict any more pain. Phaedra’s sharp tongue is a source of misery for them both.

Danger awaits them on their journey as evil closes in on them at every turn, and an unexpected traveler turns into a most welcome guest. But when they reach the wizard, they find he knows exactly how to handle their situation, for the best of all concerned.

Delightfully warm and human, these characters are endearing in their frailties and foibles. Fantasy blended with romance and humor, The Wizard’s Daughter is a cheerful, lighthearted and uplifting romance.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Amigas and School Scandals

Author: Diana Rodriguez Wallach
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-0-7582-2555-9
Pages: 304
Price: $9.95

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After a summer vacation in Puerto Rico, Mariana Ruiz has returned to Spring Mills and her old life. But she’s brought home her cousin, Lilly, who is enrolling in Mariana’s high school. After only one day of classes, Lilly in an instant hit, and the most popular freshman in the school – and Mariana’s best friends are less than thrilled with her arrival.

Now Mariana needs to restore her strained relationships with Madison and Emily. Missing Madison’s Sweet Sixteen party over the summer was a faux pas she may never live down, until Madison talks her into having her own party for her sixteenth birthday. But Mariana doesn’t want a bash like Madison’s, so Lilly helps with a compromise.

Along with friend problems, Mariana still has family issues to deal with. Her estranged aunt wants to be part of the family, but Mariana’s uncles still hold grudges against her. And Mariana finds herself suddenly attracted to her locker buddy, Bobby, who had gone on a date with Emily over the summer. Emily won’t tell anyone about it, which confuses Mariana as to her friend’s feelings for Bobby – until the truth finally comes out.

Amigas and School Scandals picks up right where Amor and Summer Secrets left off, as Mariana leaves Utuado and her summer fling, Alex. But although summer is over, new dramas and tensions are just heating up.

Teens will easily relate to Mariana’s struggles to include her cousin Lilly into her circle of friendship, while doing all she can to keep her best friends, even if it means passing up a hot guy. Amigas and School Scandals will pull you into Mariana’s world and keep you hooked until the last page. I look forward to reading the final book in this series.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

The Governor’s Wife

Author: Kate Rizor
Publisher: Stargazer Press
Genre: Romance
ISBN: 0-9734940-8-5
Pages: 191
Price: $15.00

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On the night Tanner Thornberg told his wife, Andra, that he wanted a divorce, she disappeared. For ten years he watched and waited for any news that she had been found, and he finally gets the call he’s been both hoping for and dreading.

Andie has no memories from before her visit to the hospital after a car accident. When she finds out the man with her has intent to harm her, she flees to the streets. Now she’s living as a homeless woman, trying to survive. After an arrest for taking a bottle of cough medicine identifies her as Andra Thornberg, she returns to live with Tanner as the wife of the governor of New York.

Though both feel the flames of passion that once burned between them, they’re also wary and distrustful of each other. Andie doesn’t even know this man who calls himself her husband, yet she’s drawn to him anyway. And Tanner hardly recognizes the woman who now lives with him. But as they both get to know each other again, will they fall in love once more?

A romance in every sense of the word, The Governor’s Wife sentimentalizes the plight of the homeless, painting a somewhat unrealistic picture of those who live on the streets. Tanner’s strong attraction to his wife also seemed unexpected since he gave no indication in the opening scene that he still had feelings for her.

But overall, I enjoyed this story, as it’s always reassuring to see a marriage pulled back from the brink of divorce. The Governor’s Wife is a nice, feel-good read.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Suddenly Single

Author: Shana Burton
Publisher: Urban Christian
Genre: Romance
ISBN: 978-1-60162-953-1
Pages: 354
Price: $14.95

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Finding herself jilted at the altar has left Vashti Hunter depressed and feeling unworthy of love. With her friend Monique’s help, she finally lifts herself out of her funk and attempts to date again, determined to wed within the year. But is she looking for love in all the wrong places?

Throughout her string of failed relationships, one man stands in the wings, watching and waiting for her to come to her senses. Will she ever realize she’s worthy of being treated like a queen, and let this man be her king? Vashti finally makes the decision to let herself be happy and her quest to be married is complete.

Vashti is a troubled lady, getting into situations and relationships she has no business being in. But there is one predicament that causes her the most difficulty, and ultimately leads to her self-destructive path. Although Vashti never tries to defend herself from his actions, I found Pastor White’s behavior immoral, unethical and most likely illegal, and it was sad that no one in the story blamed him for any of it – they simply pointed fingers at his innocent victim.

Suddenly Single is a self-discovery novel about Vashti’s struggles with finding herself and a husband, but I would have enjoyed getting to know the man she ultimately marries a little more. I’d also have liked to see more development throughout the story of their relationship growing and evolving into something more.

A disturbing book in some ways, Suddenly Single clearly shows the ways women mess up their lives, looking for true love, when they’d be better off treating themselves as a precious human being and expecting the same from their men. But at least Vashti is finally able to find happiness in the end.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Amor and Summer Secrets

Author: Diana Rodriguez Wallach
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-0-7582-2553-5
Pages: 296
Price: $9.95

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Mariana Ruiz doesn’t know why she’s being exiled to Puerto Rico for the summer. She should be at home, helping her best friend, Madison, celebrate her Sweet Sixteen. Instead she’s sent to visit relatives she’s never met before, most of whom don’t even speak English.

Mariana is part Puerto Rican and part Polish, but the only Spanish she’s ever picked up has been from her classes at school. Her cousin, Lilly, speaks English, but Mariana doesn’t trust her motives, and keeps her distance, despite Lilly’s attempts to be friends. Instead she helps her aunt plan Lilly’s Quinceanera.

An unexpected romantic surprise awaits Mariana at Lilly’s party, and soon she finds she’s enjoying the summer she never wanted to happen. But along with amor, she also finds out about a family secret that shocks her.

This fast-paced and tension-filled story pulls the reader into Mariana’s world, as she experiences her first adventure off her own turf and finds love. Amor and Summer Secrets is an enjoyable read, and once you pick this book up, you won’t be able to put it down. The first of three books, it will leave you wanting to read more from this talented new author.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

When a Man Loves a Woman

Author: La Connie Taylor-Jones
Publisher: Genesis Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 978-1-58571-274-8
Pages: 250
Price: $6.99

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Some men just don’t know when to give up. Victoria Bennett wants nothing to do with marriage, but A.J. Baptiste is in love and he’s determined to woo her.

After a suspicious accident that causes A.J. injury, Victoria moves into his home to care for him as he recovers. But she has no idea how living in such close proximity will affect her, especially when he starts to become a dear friend.

Victoria has good reason to avoid men after being hurt deeply by her ex-husband, and A.J. is sensitive to her pain while encouraging her to open up to him. Rather than taking advantage of her vulnerability, he insists she be ready to give him her heart before claiming her body.

This romance blossoms beautifully between two people who want to know each other intimately as both friends and lovers, and the suspense around the accident adds even more tension to the story. Both A.J. and Victoria are caring people, striving for good in the world, and the reader will cheer for their happiness. When a Man Loves a Woman is a truly enjoyable read.

Reviewer: Alice Berger